The teen virginity boom: 5 theories

More than one-fourth of Americans ages 15 to 24 have never had sex. Why are more and more young people holding off on getting down?

Are teens these days too busy for sex? That might be one explanation for the recent jump in reported virginity.
(Image credit: Corbis)

Kids today... they're not having as much sex as you might think. According to the largest and most detailed federal report ever on sexual activity in America, 29 percent of young women and 27 percent of young men ages 15 to 24 have never had a sexual encounter, a marked increase since the last survey was conducted in 2002. When it comes to sex, "there is a trend toward postponement," says Debbie Roffman, a human sexuality educator, as quoted in USA Today. Why are more teens waiting to have sex? Here, five theories:

1. Virginity is trendy

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